


The Last Knight

by EKthered



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Origin Story, Alternate Universe, Epic Battles, Epic Bromance, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-03
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-21 16:32:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9557285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EKthered/pseuds/EKthered
Summary: This AU features backstory and world cannon divergence. Also Nyx. Lots of Nyx and Luna, with the chocobros. And EPIC BATTLES and small victories and crazy mythology and a prophesy. A dark prophesy.





	1. the High Daemon

 

_______________the Last Knight _______________

 

Chapter 1

 

Noctis felt the heat of the explosion before his eyes registered the flash – a wave of searing metal, gasoline, bodies and blood.

His mother had him out of the vehicle and sprinting for all his worth before shock abated and sheer terror replaced it, his eyes wide and lungs straining with each footpound to the earth.

He saw it then, the thing that chased them, that murdered half the caravan. Too many arms, blades in each hand, and eyes like a nightmare. It cut down the defenders running beside them like they were nothing.

His mother, sensing their escape futile, turned to face the beast, shielding her son with her body.

The monster screamed, shrieked like a banshee and raised her arms to kill them.

And then, two of those arms fell, detached, blood pumping from the stumps. The creature didn’t even scream, just stared dully at the injury, uncomprehending. It turned, snake-like body curling on itself, to view the assailant.

Three assailants. Long daggers, curved like a blade of grass in the wind, coated in her blood. Golden masks that reflected the firelight – Noct could make out the shapes – The Adamantoise, turtle-faced. The Chimera, the mask split into three – and Sahagin, the water creature. The masks were eyeless, a solid sheet of metal over the face of the Knights.

They moved again, inhumanly fast, blades aglow and flashing. They cut the creature down with brutal effectiveness. Amanda pressed her son’s face into her side, shielding his eyes from the carnage.

“Mom,” he gasped, “Mom –“

“It’s ok sweetie, it’s ok,” she assured him, enveloping him in her body as the great creature’s head dropped from the stem of it’s neck, beheaded.

Noctis watched with wide eyes as the Chimera-faced warrior approached. Ornately decorated, his red sashes fluttered like blood in the wind. He shrank back, afraid.

“ _My Lady_ ,” an inhuman voice addressed her. “ _Are you unharmed_?”

The queen looked to her son and nodded.

“We are, Knight.”

The man tilted his head, listening.

“ _The King is en route. He has two other Arcadian Knights with him for his protection. He will be here shortly_.”

The prince watched the turtle-faced knight kneel before the body of a guard. The man was split in two – the boy could see ribs and bone in the heap of man. The knight reached out a gloved hand and bowed his head over the dead.

“What’s he doing, mom?” Noctis whispered. The queen looked to the scene.

“Helping his spirit cross, Noct.” She shuddered, wrapping her arms around her boy. “Thank the Gods for their gift, that we were spared such a fate.”

A car door slammed and a man ran towards them. Regis’s noble face crested the hill and he fell to his knees beside his family, his arms enveloping them both.

The Sahagin-faced knight came to stand beside Chimera.

“ _They grow bolder_.”

Chimera said nothing.

 

 

Ignis sprinted from the cab, each wintery breath inhaled stinging his chest. Dawn barely peaked above the horizon of Insomnia but orange painted the reflection of the buildings already. It was quiet, save for the racing of his heart in his ears.

He slid into the main foyer of the citadel, slamming his keycard against the reader before smashing the elevator door closed button with all his might. It was an eternity to the upper floors, the residential wings.

When the door finally opened, he collided face first into King Regis’s stomach.

“Ignis!”

The retainer felt the blood drain from his face.

“I’m – forgive me, sire, I –“

Regis placed a hand on the boy’s skinny shoulder. “It’s alright. He’s still awake, if you’d like to see him.”

“Yes,” he half nodded, half bowed. “He’s – he’s alright then? The reports were-“

“He is.” The king gently pushed him. “Go on, then.”

Ignis waited until the elevator door dinged shut before running again, rounding the hallway corner. His stomached flopped – he found himself face-to-face with an Arcadian Knight, it’s masked face turned toward him.

He blinked, motioning to the door. “The king said, I’m Noctis’s retainer, it’s-“

“ _You’re fine, Scientia_.” Though it’s expression remained frozen, it’s strange voice had some humor to it, which was odd, given the terrifying vestige of a Death Claw it represented. “ _Go on in_.”

Ignis shimmied past the massive knight and entered the chamber. The curtains were drawn and a fire crackled. Noctis was sitting before the flames, right up on the hearth. He turned.

“Iggy!”

“Highness,” the boy exhaled, relieved. “I heard what happened, I came as soon as I could-“

“It’s ok,” the younger boy said as Ignis sat down beside him. “Some guards got hurt. But Mom and I are ok.”

“Thank goodness.”

They watched the flames lick the logs. Having confirmed his prince was intact, Ignis felt the tension leak out of him.

“I’ve never seen anything like it, Ignis.”

Noctis cast a glance his way, fear etched into his brow.

“It was – a monster. A real monster. Not like a wild animal, but –“ He shook his head. “The Arcadian Knights called it a High Daemon. It- It had eight arms and looked like a snake, but a lady – and it,” his voice hitched, “It cut people open. It – it wanted to kill us.”

“But you’re safe, now. And we will take precautions to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” the young retainer said, confident.

“I hope not,” Noctis whispered, leaning away from the fire and into Ignis’s shoulder. “I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep ever again, just thinking about it. I was so scared, I thought mom was going to die.”

“She didn’t,” Ignis assured him. “You’re alright. It’s going to be alright.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

 

 

Regis sat heavily at his desk and massaged the bridge of his nose.

Cast in the shadows behind the drapes, the Chimera-faced knight sat quietly, waiting.

“Deploy someone to Tenebrae, to house Nox Fleuret.”

“ _Any preference_?”

Regis looked up. “Not you. I need you here. Whatever game they’re playing at – “

“ _Is no game_ ,” Chimera answered. “ _You know our place is here, now. With the anointed heir_.”

“Surely, one knight to Altissa is acceptable?”

Chimera stood. _“For now. I will send the Spiraled Stag. He knows Tenebrae best_.”  

“Valen.”

The knight paused.

“I… had you not been there tonight –“ the king hesitated.

Chimera touched a gloved hand to his breastplate, the mask turned toward the desk.

“ _You know our place in this world. And you know what this means, the High Daemon. It wasn’t the first, and it will not be the last._ ”

Regis felt the weight of the wall, of the crystal, heavy on his frame.

“ _Darkness is coming_ ,” Chimera said, his strange voice quiet in the dawn.

 

 


	2. 2

Chapter 2

 

Noctis fidgeted with this coat sleeves, ocean eyes watching the guard carry his bags to the car. He looked up to the Arcadian Knight towering beside him. The prince didn’t like that they had no eyes – how did the men behind the masks see? And worse – how did he know if they were looking at _him?_

Ignis came up on his other side, glasses fogging up in the morning cold.

“That should be everything you need for your trip,” the teenager concluded. “I made sure to pack those comic books you asked for, for the flight.”

“Thanks,” Noctis said. “How long will I be gone?”

Ignis shrugged. “A week, perhaps. The funeral is set to take place this weekend, and after that, you’ll be with house Nox Fleuret.”

“With Luna.”

“Yes, highness.”

Noctis leaned an inch closer to his retainer. He pulled out his flip phone and rubbed his thumb over the edge.

“Can I… text? With you? While I’m gone?”

“Of course, highness.”

 

Luna was every bit as lovely as the last time Noctis had seen her. Gentle eyes, warm smile. They were older now – twelve. She was the Oracle – he was the anointed prince of kings. Somehow, this time it was harder to forget that they weren’t just kids anymore, playing in the forest and stealing cookies from her naan.

It was their duty to observe and mourn the passing of Luna’s uncle, a great dignitary in the kingdom of Lucis. The funeral pyre was built high and the casket remained closed atop it. An Arcadian Knight – Chimera, Regis’s favorite, stood behind the body, his hands palm down, hovering above the ornate box.

“What’s he doing?” Noct whispered.

“Praying to the Gods, on behalf of my uncle,” Luna whispered back.

“Do the Gods… listen to him?”

“More than they would listen to anyone else, I suppose.”

The pyre was set alight. Embers circled and rose into the sky, glowing against the dark of night.

 

The Couerl Knight followed at distance, letting Luna and Noct wander through the fields with some aspect of privacy. They climbed the river rocks, the same ones they played on every time the prince visited her home in Tenebrae. Huddled close, they looked to the stars, the sky massive and eternal above them.

“There are so many,” Noct breathed, the dots of light reflecting in his eyes.

“Do you know the constellations?”

“I don’t think so.”

Luna giggled. “There are twelve! Each one corresponds with a month of the year, and depending when you’re born, you’re supposed to take the trait of that guide. Look,” she pointed heavenward. “There’s Adamantoise, the slow but steady. And there’s Behemoth, the loyal.”

Noctis frowned. “I was born in August. What does that make me?”

“A dragon! The Tiamat.” Luna tucked her finger into her palm. “They have four heads, representing four personalities – those who fall under Tiamat’s sign can be many kinds of people all at once.”

“Is that true?”

The Oracle smiled again. “Some people think so. Others think it’s just made up. It’s fun to read about in the daily papers though.”

A low grumbling filled the air and they paused, eyes wide. It sounded like thunder - but the sky was crystal clear. It grew louder and louder until they realized a series of ships were descending from the night upon them.

They felt adrenalin fill their blood.

“The empire!” Luna gasped. "Here?!"

The Couerl Knight was beside them in a heartbeat. “ _Stay with me_ ,” it commanded, touching their heads with it’s gloved hands.

They sank low into the tall grasses. They watched the ships land deploy soldiers to the ground. The defenses gunners did not fire upon them – something was wrong.

“Dad,” Noctis said, gripping Luna’s hand tightly. “Dad!”

“ _No. It’s not safe_.”

“We have to go to him!”

“ _Something is amiss. The defenses are not activated. He has three Knights with him, he will be alright. We must leave this place_.”

Couerl lead them from the area. When the grasses ended, he scooped each child up in an arm and carried them to the docks.

They waited two agonizing hours for word from their loved ones, all the while smoke rising in to the air. Noct trembled, anxiety filling his throat. He pulled his phone from his pocket.

**NLC: Empire attacked us.**

He waited, eyes on the screen, willing a response.

**IS: are you alright?!?!?**

**IS: is luna alright?? your father?**

**IS: when did it happen??**

Noct let out a breath.

**NLC: ok. Lunas with me. away from palace**

**NLC: a little scared, don’t know abt dad**

Luna leaned over. Her eyes were red from an hour of quiet crying.

“Any word?”

Noct shook his head. “Talking to my friend. Back home.”

“Oh, your retainer?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

**IS: Going to citadel. Will tell you if I learn anything**

**IS: please stay safe**

A commotion pulled his eyes from the phone screen. Luna leapt forward before the Couerl Knight could stop her, flinging herself over the fence. She ran headfirst into her brother’s arms, her wrists locking around his waist.

The prince searched frantically for the strong gait of his father weaving among the crowd. He didn’t see him. His throat closed up and his heartbeat shook him where he stood.

Couerl tilted it’s head, listening to something the others couldn’t hear. It reached and touched the prince’s shoulder.

“ _The king is alive. He is with the survivors in the palace_.”

 

Couerl took Noctis to the ruined grounds. Bullet holes and scorch marks marred the once beautiful ivories of House Nox Fleuret.

Imperial bodies were being dragged from the main floor. Noctis paused, the Knight bumping in to him from behind.

His father stood in a circle of men. His brow was bloodied and his arm in a white sling.

Noctis ran to him.

“Son,” Regis murmured, using his good arm to hold the boy’s skull to him. “Thank the Gods you’re safe.”

“Dad,” he whimpered, his voice suddenly dry and broken.

 

Ravus and Luna had lost their parents. Regis had offered the remaining family sanctuary in Insomnia – Ravus, now oldest of his house, accepted.

The boat would take them to Altissa, where they would fly home, if the skies were safe. Noctis was in a cabin with his father. Regis, exhausted, was curled away from him. The prince had his phone tucked to his chest while he thumbed the number pad quietly in the dark.

**NLC: he said there was an infiltration**

**NLC: a spy I guess**

He waited.

**IS: Absolutely terrible.**

**IS: At least Lady Lunafreya and Ravus are safe.**

**IS: They are preparing quarters for them close to yours.**

**NLC: ravus is agry**

**NLC: knights protected dad first  
**

**NLC: instead of his family**

Noct’s eyes flickered to his father. He was glad they had. His dad was still alive.

**IS: Arcadian Knights have always placed the Lucii family first. The pact is a millennia old.**

**IS: Don’t worry about it.**

**IS: Just keep yourself intact until you get home.**

With Luna, Noctis thought. Everything would be so different.

 

 

 


End file.
